Tebenquinche lake and Eyes of the Salt Pan

Eyes of the Salt Pan (Ojos del Salar) are two small lakes with a fresh water located in the middle of the Atacama Desert. The visit is free, in the bigger one you can swim.








Eyes can be reached by a dirt 25 km road from San Pedro de Atacama. Closer to the goal, you find yourself in the middle of the desert. Absolute emptiness for tens of kilometers around and only the road is the sign of civilization.


Lake Tebenquinche is just behind the "eyes". Tourists come here in the evening to see the beautiful sunset. When the weather is quiet water creates an ideal mirror in which the mountains are reflected. We did not manage to arrive in the evening, so visited this place in the morning.






In summer, you can also visit the Cejar lake (Laguna Cejar, S 23 03.554 W 68 12.812), it's on the way. The admission ticket is $24. Here you can swim in the salt water, just like in the Dead Sea. If you do not have water to wash away the salt, you can swim in the Eyes of the Salt Pan, there is fresh water.

Getting there: As part of an organized tour from San Pedro de Atacama. The coordinates of the Eyes - S 23 08.237 W 68 14.105, Tebenquinche lake - S 23 08.548 W 68 15.174. You can also go by bike, we saw cyclists, but only if the weather is not hot. And the distance is about 25 kilometers one way along the dirt road, it will be not easy.